In the night after the events of Eagle in the Snow (G11), the Legate of the 20th Legion comes a-calling.
His arrival is not entirely a surprise. While investigating the bodies of the Imperial Hand Paradoxides notices that some sort of communication has been sent off at midnight. It seems to be linked to the gems embedded in the chests of each of the dead legionaries.
The legionaries are laid out in biers in the Temple of Osiris in Sequarl Village. Rendip Rim the High Priest of Osiris is leading a vigil. Grettir, Paradoxides, Wilf, Ubaron and Jason are present along with Adhils and Kolgrim. Wards, both magical and holy are set around the Temple. Aderbarg commands a force of Sequarl troops outside the Temple, with orders not to engage unless specifically ordered to do so. The Legate seems undeterred by the wards (Rendip later explains that he is a High Priest of Anubis – a closely allied god of the same pantheon as Osiris) and enters the Temple. He is plainly undead and seems to shift from the non-corporeal to the corporeal at will. He claims the status of a Herald.
A wary conversation ensues between Grettir and the Legate. The Legate demands the return of the bodies of his legionaries: Grettir has no problem with this. Grettir is less keen to oblige with the return of their equipment since they have a monetary value, and he is not the sole stakeholder in the matter. He prevaricates by pointing out that their equipment is not present in the Temple. Grettir also points out that the Hand had been trespassing on his land and did not identify themselves when challenged. Grettir does not want conflict with the Empire. The legate agrees that they should be allies but says that Grettir associates himself with Atlaneans (he points at Ubaron), “Auslanders” (Jason) and forvalaka (Paradoxides) – all enemies of the Empire. Grettir retorts that he allies himself with orcs, the enemy of all humanity, and has armed them for many years to the detriment of all who live around Chittagong. The Legate waves away this accusation, describing them as slaves and as mere tools of convenience. He lets slip that he has destroyed the Road Wardens (who Grettir takes to mean the Rangers) and that he can move freely upon the Black Roads now. He says that he will be marching upon Chittagong in the spring and that Grettir must soon choose sides. He calls on some of his men to carry away the bodies. They too seem to shift between the corporeal and non-corporeal. He leaves saying that he will return at the same hour the following night for the equipment. The Legate says that if their equipment is returned then he will consider the matter closed. If not there will be war. As the Legate and his legionaries depart, there is an unfortunate scuffle with some of the Sequarl troops outside and a Sequarl man is killed before Aderbarg restores order.
Grettir has marked the Legate unequivocally as an enemy. However, he does not want to pick a fight with an enemy who seems to be able to walk through his walls at will – at least not at this time. The equipment will have to be handed over, muc to the disgust of some of his comapions – Trevillion is particularly vocal on the matter. Grettir consoles himself that he has learnt a great deal from the encounter of strategic importance. The equipment is just a tactical concern. The following night he hands over the personal arms of all five legionaries. He does however, quietly retain some items of more general equipment, including a cube that turns itself into a useful weather-impermeable tent. No comment is made by the Legate on the omissions. Grettir reports the whole matter to the King, who bids him make sure that he is in Sequarl in the springtime. Grettir agrees but says that in the meantime he will lead a reconnaissance up the Black Road to see what might be afoot.
The party teleport to known co-ordinates near the Tower of Anoch. They are balanced between magicians and fighters so that they can continue from there by flight. Thus Paradoxides and Ubaron can carry Grettir and Wilf, while Kolgrim carries Aderbarg, who in the absence of Girindor, is their best scout.
The Tower of Anoch is an Imperial Black Rock fortress between the Edgwere and Shehallion Mountain ranges on the Great Black Rock Road. Gadan, Nickar, Sho Rembo, Eggo and Ivar Forkenbeard had cleared it of orcs nigh on 20 years previously and it had briefly served as an advanced base for the Rangers. However, it had proved too hard to hold with available resources. As far as anyone knew it was now abandoned. Spying upon the tower from a vantage point, they see that it is now plainly occupied once more, with what appears to be some sort of human force organised upon military lines. They guess it is the legion.
Scouting around the area they find an apparently human sorceress called Esmerelda living with a hill giant as a protector. She seems friendly, and indeed during a short period guesting with here, she and Ubaron become extra-friendly. She knows little of the new denizens of the tower but describes them as “unneighbourly”. They arrived about a year ago. Esmerelda is clearly a being of some considerable power with mysterious antecedants.
Flying onwards the party spot a group of legionaries under assault from a large bear. They land and chase off the bear which shows disturbing signs of human-like intelligence. Grettir guesses that it is one of Styrbjorn’s folk. However, he is interested in what he can learn from the soldiers. They are grateful but say little, especially after their decurion realises to whom he is speaking. They do reveal that their operations in these mountains are often beset by what they describe as “spooky bears”.
As they continue westwards they observe other roads branching off. They explore one leading southwards and find cultivated lands and villages. A human peasant, ensorcelled by Paradoxides, tells them that it is the road to Pangolin, which Grettir knows to be an independent state run by wizards. Heading northwards and further west they encounter a large band of hunters and guest with them for a night. They tell them that if they continue on the current road for many more weeks they would come to a mighty bridge over a chasm. Beyond that lies the ancient ruined city of Bysantos. Grettir’s ears prick up at this for Bysantos was one of the places where a Phthet of Ptah might be found. He believes that it might give power over the Void and be a possible route by which they might free the Rangers from whatever trap had enmeshed them. They had sought one in Ushkedir without success. Perhaps they would be more fortunate in Bysantos. The hunters warn them against the city and its environs. None had been there but it was a byword for evil and danger and notorious as a nest of orcs.
A long day’s flight brings them to a mighty bridge. It is wrought of Black Rock and over half a mile long – comparable in size to the one that terminates the Black Road at Chittagong. They fly on for several days, following the road. As the hunters predicted they begin to see more and more signs of orc activity. Eventually they reach a vast ruined city, encircled with cyclopean walls. It is far greater in size than Uskedir, perhaps even larger than Chittagong. After spending a day or two playing hide and seek with many orcs, the magicians eventually find an appropriate place to take teleport co-ordinates. They teleport back to Sequarl, in the knowledge that they can return to Bysantos at their leisure.
G-12
OE Date: January 695
Characters: Grettir, Paradoxides, Wilf, Ubaron, Jason NPCs: Rendip Rim, Aderbarg, Kolgrim
Real World: May 2008; Where: Surbiton
See also Ubaron’s Diaries